January 31, 2016

Acts 7:  52. Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him— 

The Sanhedrin has asked Stephen whether the charges against him are true. For 49 verses, he explains the history of the Chosen People. Then he bursts out some accusations. This verse is the climax. 

Stephen hasn't done anything wrong. It must have taken a lot of control to cite the entire history of Israel when he was justifiably agitated. Yet he showed the Sanhedrin that he knew what had led to the coming of the Messiah. It wasn't until he began to describe current events that he blew up. He paid the ultimate price for his candor, forgiving his murderers with his final breaths. 

Prayer:  Where are the Stephens of today?  Who stands up to evil among us?  I'm shocked by the evangelical Christians who promote a candidate who stands for greed and hatred of the poor. Lord, show Your people how to be there for the disenfranchised. Help us to represent You. 
Amen

January 30, 2016

Acts 6:  2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. "  

They then appointed the 7, which included Stephen, to wait on tables. That is, they put them in charge of distribution of food to the widows and orphans. During his vocation, Stephen " performed great wonders and signs among the people."  Off he goes to the Sanhedrin, where everyone noticed that his face was like an angel's as he was questioned. 

I understand the original 12 disciples way of thinking. No one could do it all anymore. So they wisely appointed the 7.  Stephen must have been some kind of guy!  He was so faithful, so powerful that the authorities couldn't ignore him any more. And, despite his angelic appearance, things are about to turn ugly. 

Prayer:  Lord, use me to further Your ministry, in the ways You know I can best serve. Make me more aware of Your plan for my days. 
Amen

January 29, 2016

Psalm 14:  2

The Lord looks down from heaven
    on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
    any who seek God.

David is discouraged. It's hard to find any faithful people. Instead there are evildoers, vile and corrupt. They frustrate the poor people. 

I was thinking how sad this is for God. How disappointed we must make Him. We need Him, but we refuse to look to Him for help. We try to do everything our own way. 

Prayer:  Lord, be with Your stubborn people, even when we ignore Your presence. Stand by us, although we don't deserve it. Love us, even when we are most unlovable. 

Amen

January 28, 2016

Acts 4:  7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: ‘By what power or what name did you do this?’

Peter and John have been brought to the Sanhedrin. People are upset, because Peter healed the lame beggar. Before they start working out a plan to get rid of the disciples, they interrogate them. Peter answers that they are acting in the name of Christ. 

The whole speech Peter makes is powerful. He says that his accusers are the same ones who rejected Jesus. He boldly states that God raised Jesus from the dead after they crucified him. He also says that Christ is the only path to salvation. He doesn't tone it down a bit. 

Prayer:  Why aren't we the people You know we can be, after all these years?  Why aren't people flocking to You when times are so tough?  Yours is the only power that matters in the end. We should be calling out Your name, not relying on our own ways. Guide Your people, Lord, to be more faithful. 
Amen

January 27, 2016

Exodus 19:  4 You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 

This is God talking to Moses. He is preparing the people for the 10 Commandments. They are to go to the bottom of Mount Sinai, but they can't touch it. He wants them to understand His power. 

It's a great quote. God carried His people on eagle's wings, He drowned all of Pharoah's army after letting the people pass through the Red Sea, and don't forget all the plagues and the Passover. They have seen it all, but they are not the faithful people God was hoping for. 

Prayer:  Don't let me become like the Israelites, Lord. I have seen Your power, but I, too, get bogged down in the humdrum daily life and forget to turn to You, secure in my faith that You are the Almighty. Strengthen my faith. 
Amen

January 26, 2016

Exodus 15:  2The Lord is my strength and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

This is part of the Song of Moses and Miriam. It was sung after the waters of the Red Sea were parted for the Israelites but closed over Pharoah's army, killing them all. The people believed, and they rejoiced. In the NT, we read about Pentecost, another time when the faithful were strong.

I was first drawn by the image of the sea parted, with a wall of water on each side. That reminded me of our trip to Nancy's last night, with a wall of snow on both sides of the road. We were able to go through to comfort our friend in her grief. Then I read about the Pentecost, and I got a new image of the faithful in worship.

Prayer:  You are an amazing God.  You heal, you comfort, you protect Your people. We who were given the gift of faith praise You. Help us to maintain our fresh attitude of faithfulness even in the face of this world.
Amen

January 25, 2016

Exodus 12:  30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The plagues are over, and none of them would convince Pharoah to let the Israelites go. Passover does. The Israelites have carefully followed God's commands, and their families are unharmed. The Egyptians finally see what power the one true God has. 

This is so sad. People had to be exposed to the deaths of their firstborn sons to understand. Death is such an extremely debilitating event, especially the death of a child. It defies the natural order. And yet God showed everyone conclusively that nothing less would free His people. 

Prayer:  Guide Your people today so that this kind of sacrifice is never needed again. Help us to see that Your love is akin to ours for our children. Show our world how to live in accordance with Your will. 
Amen

January 24, 2016

Luke 24:  32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

The disciples were walking to Emmaus when a man joined them. He asked what they had been talking about, and they explained the crucifixion. They were stopping in town, and they encouraged him to go with them. As they ate, they realized it was Jesus. This quote is what they said to the 11 just before Jesus appeared again. 

I don't know why this road story was so appealing to me. I do like the idea that they were aware that something was different about the stranger, but they couldn't see that he was Jesus at first. 

Prayer:  I wonder how many times I have run into You, Lord, and never quite recognized You. Help me to be more aware of Your presence in my life. Let me recognize my burning heart, and show me what to do with all that passion. 
Amen

January 22, 2016

Luke 22:  13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

Jesus has sent the disciples into the city. He told them that they would find a man with a place for their Passover dinner. As is true about everything he has ever told them, it was there. They just take it for granted. 

Everything is about to change. Soon they won't have their leader with them. How comforting it must have been to know that Jesus had all the answers. Soon they will be operating on faith in something they can't see. So it has always been for us. 

Prayer:  Lord, I recognize that faith is not easy. I struggle, and I stumble, but I am always grateful for the gift of faith You bestowed upon me. Strengthen my faith and help me to see the path You would have me follow. 
Amen

January 21, 2016

Luke 21:  34 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 

Jesus is talking about the second coming. He has painted a picture of upheaval and suffering. The real take away, however, is the words of warning to the faithful. 

This would be so easy. We get caught up in the day to day life, we get knocked down by events around us, and we console ourselves in so many ways. We are not faithful people who turn to our Lord and Saviour. 

Prayer:  Lord, be with me. Make me more aware of Your presence in my life every day and every night. Help me to always be ready to meet You wherever I am. 
Amen

January 20, 2016

Psalm 8:  3

When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place

This Psalm of David tells us that we are so small and unimportant that it's amazing that the same God who created the majestic heavens would consider us at all. Instead He gave us His creation, and He made us a little lower than the angels. 

I love the sound of these words. They paint a picture of the faithful follower who recognizes all the Creator has done. And it makes him feel so small. I have had that same feeling. 

Prayer:  Lord, I know that I am always coming to You with my small concerns. I know that You are God of a vast universe. I'm amazed that You care about me. Stay beside me. 

Amen

January 17, 2016

Psalm 5:  3

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.

I chose this Psalm of David. He wants to convey his faithfulness and to contrast it with the evil ways of his enemies. He knows he needs help, and he goes to God to find it. 

I'm not always faithful to this journal, but I begin each day with prayer. I don't always remember to ask God for help during my busy days, but I start each morning talking to Him. 

Prayer:  Lord, I need to be more faithful throughout my day, but I do start each day with You. You give me strength and comfort. Help me to hear Your voice with me at all times, not just in the silence of morning. I trust that my life is better when I am in relationship with You. 

Amen

January 16, 2016

Luke 16:  13 "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Jesus is speaking. He has told a parable about the shrewd manager. It's confusing, because the shrewd manager lowers the bills owed to the master, in an attempt to gain favor with the debtors. However, the master commends him. Jesus says we should use worldly wealth to gain friends. 

I am thinking that it was the lack of regard for the full amount that makes the shrewd manager worthy of commendation. He didn't honor the money more than his reputation.  He was regarded as godly by both master and debtors. He made the best of a bad situation, because he wasn't tied to the idea that the money was the most important thing. 

Prayer:  I enter a time of my life where I have more money than I have ever had. I pray to be a good steward of my inheritance, while not letting money become the focus of my life. I want to use my wealth in a way that pleases You, Lord. If I don't, my money is worthless, or even worse. 
Amen

January 15, 2016

Genesis 37:  35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said, “I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave.” So his father wept for him.

Israel (Jacob) is grieving for Joseph. His brothers have sold him into slavery, and they have deceived Israel into thinking he was killed by a wild animal while he was searching for them. Israel had sent him to find them. 

The grief hits me hard. I had a meltdown on the drive home, and it was all fresh again. Now I have returned to my daily routine, and it's not so raw. But it's still there. I miss my mother, and I guess I will until I join her in Paradise. 

Prayer:  Today I pray for those who mourn. It's so hard, Lord, and we need Your comfort. Stand beside us as the pain of the loss makes us depressed. Lift us up with Your promise of eternal life with You. 
Amen

January 13, 2016

Luke 13:  25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, “Sir, open the door for us.”

‘But he will answer, “I don’t know you or where you come from.”

Jesus is bothered by the Pharisees who don't like him healing on the Sabbath. He tells them the parables of the mustard seed and of the yeast. He then warns them to focus on their faith. Someday it will be too late to form a relationship with God. 

My brother is in the hospital. It's his heart again. I'm praying that he reconsiders his faith. He once knew God, I guess, and he never forgot his Christian upbringing, but he needs to be in relationship with his creator now. 

Prayer: Lord, stand by my brother and his family. Show them Your glory.  Guide them to be in relationship with You. 

Amen. 

January 12, 2016

Luke 12:  34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus has told his disciples not to worry about earthly needs. He had them consider the sparrows and the hairs on their heads. God is capable of dealing with each and every one of these, so why shouldn't we trust Him to take care of us?  We don't need to worry about material needs. God wants us to concern ourselves with the truly important parts of ourselves, the spiritual parts. 

I have been surprised at the lack of interest I have had in material goods. I didn't shop much while I was in Florida, and the few things that I bought were for others. I don't want anything. I want my loved ones to be happy. I want health for those who suffer from illness and accidents. I want comfort for those who suffer emotionally. My treasure is less focused on acquiring goods. 

Prayer:  Lord, You know my heart and my needs. I trust You to provide for me. I will keep my heart on the things that really matter. Protect and comfort Your people, and let me know how I can further Your work on Earth. 
Amen

January 11, 2015

Luke 11:  9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 

Jesus talks about how to pray. He gives us the Lord's Prayer. He tells us that if we seek something with God, we will get it. 

It is hard to understand this. It's too simple. There must be something else we should do. But Jesus knows best, so you have got to believe it. And by that, I mean REALLY believe it. Oh, that's the hard part. 

Prayer:  I ask for health and happiness for those I love. I ask for healing for the ill, injured and grieving persons. Be by me and show me how to become stronger in faith and to be more effective in prayer. 
Amen

January 10, 2016

Luke 10:  2 He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. '

Jesus prepared the 72 new disciples to go out on their own. They were told to bless those who welcomed them. They would shake the dust from their feet and move on if they weren't welcomed. It would be very bad for the people in those places. 

We are still called to be God's workers. We travel through an unbelieving world. It's good to review the rules our Saviour set for these early disciples. We can't become discouraged by those who won't accept our testimony. We shake the dust from our feet and move on, blessing our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Prayer:  I will do Your work, Lord. I will serve Your people. I won't be reluctant to share Your word. And I won't let the lack of faith of others bring me down. Be my guide in this walk of faith. 
Amen

January 9, 2016

Luke 9:  50 "Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

The disciples are disappointing Jesus. They were unable to cast the demon out of a boy, but he could and did. They couldn't understand about the crucifixion to come, and then they argued about which of them was the greatest. Finally they try to stop a man who is casting out demons in Jesus's name. 

I am interested in the concept of who is not against you. Is it enough that  isn't opposed to you?  Do we demand too much of our fellow man?  

Prayer:  I will try to be more tolerant of those around me. I will accept that they are for me, even when the best I can say is that they aren't against me. Your people deserve more respect from me. I know You love them. I will love them too. 

Amen

January 8, 2016

Luke 8:  8 "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

This comes from a parable. Jesus said that some seeds are eaten by birds. Those are the people without faith.  Others fall on rocky ground, so they don't have roots. That's the people who are faithful for just a bit of time, but who fall away when the excitement wears off. Others fall among thorns, which represent the distractions of daily life. The last are true Christians. 

I have always loved this imagery. It's important to consider which kind of seed you are. I was blessed with faith, and I must be aware so that I don't let it slip away. 

Prayer:  Lord, I praise You for the power of faith. I benefit each day from it. Strengthen my faith. Help me to be a beacon to the faithless. 
Amen

January 6, 2016

Luke 6: 21
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
    for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
    for you will laugh.

Jesus gave us the Beatitudes. Jesus understands us, because he lived as one of us. He felt the pain of hunger. In earlier verses, his disciples were criticized for gathering food on the Sabbath. He wept when Lazarus died. 

It's been a tough time for me. I was grieving so deeply that I would not eat except to avoid the pain of hunger. I have wept and wept. I knew God was always with me however. I knew the promise of better times to come. 

Prayer: Lord, help those I care about through their own rough times. Comfort them as You have comforted me. 

Amen

January 5, 2016

Luke 5:  31 Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but those who are ill.'

The Pharisees are not happy with Jesus. He has forgiven the lame man and healed him. He then found Levi, who was a tax collector and made him a disciple.  Now he has gone to a party Levi threw for his friends, and the Pharisees want to know what he is doing hanging out with low life people like that. 

This reminded me of the sermon at Mother's church on Sunday. He wanted us to go "into all the world" to bring people to faith. We can't do that if we are only hanging out with those who have already been saved. 

Prayer:  I will try to represent You well to everyone I meet. I promise to keep my faith on display to those who are looking for the Light, not hiding it away. Guide me to be a good steward of the gift of faith You have given me. 
Amen

January 2, 2016

Luke 2:  40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Mary and Joseph have seen so much since the angel told them about their son. There was the trip and the birth. There were shepherds and wise men. There was Simeon and then Anna, who saw the Lord's plan in the baby. Now their baby is not a baby anymore. 

Today Cathy is a grandmother. And I leave my child's home for several months. Then I read last year's entry for this date, about letting go of my mother. That happened too. The passage of time and the changing relationships between family members is very much on my mind. 

Prayer:  Lord, be with me as I face the days to come. Guide me in the path You would have me follow. Show me how to fulfill Your plan for those I love and for myself. 
Amen

January 1,2016

Luke 1:  42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! "

Elizabeth speaks to her cousin, Mary. Elizabeth is pregnant at an advanced age, and her husband has been struck dumb since he questioned the angel who told him that would happen. Now Mary shows up, also pregnant. And Elizabeth knows, from the reaction of baby John inside her, that Mary will give birth to the Messiah.

How excited these women must have been!  Elizabeth believed that she would never have a child, and now she will be the mother of a great man. Her cousin will bear the hope of all mankind. Talk about a new beginning!  At the New Year, it's good to think about those events that changed history.

Prayer:  I awake this morning, the first day of a year my mother won't see. I have been through a lot of upheaval in the last 4 months of the year. I know how vast my blessings are, and I am more aware than ever of my need for my Lord and Savior. Help me to do all i can to make 2016 a great year for the advancement of Your will, God.
Amen